The Guild Hall

Sometimes, after a long night of levelling, raiding and slaying countless Horde I sit back and think of what else I want to see in World of Warcraft. I think of little perks and massive changes...I think of...the Guild Hall. For those of you who have watched the internet series The Guild you may remember certain episodes featuring the introduction of the Guild Hall into the MMO that the characters in the series play. If you haven't seen it, then here's one episode below (it's less than 10 minutes long, fear not).

Ever since I watched season 4 of The Guild I have always wondered what WoW would be like with the introduction of Guild Halls to the game - places where guilds can meet, hang out, store items and customise the appearance of the hall to suit them. Of course, it would be a pretty big task and with the millions of people playing WoW it might be a little difficult, but there are other MMO's such as Runes of Magic that allow you to have your own home, and rumour has it that Elder Scrolls Online will be the same. Why not have a little haven where you can escape the deadly lag of Stormwind and the endless gold trolls on Trade Chat? Of course it would cost a fair bit of gold to actually craft a hall and the guild would have to be level 25 in order to unlock it in order to keep some order, but it would be well worth the effort.

It might be a big thing to ask, but if Blizzard did this I would be so happy - it might make up for the Pet Battles and various changes that are to come in Mists of Pandaria. What do you guys think - do you like the idea of a Guild Hall or are there other changes you want made to WoW?

Valhalla

A Riddle, Wrapped in a Mystery, Inside an Enigma

For the past 5 years blizzard have been gently teasing the gaming world, but since last year we have a bit more definitive proof.

I shall explain.

PROJECT TITAN.

In 2007 we saw the arise of internet speculation on a Blizzard Internet Forum started that a game was in development after the company has advertised for 'character and environment artists' to work on a 'Next-Gen MMORPG' that was 'Top secret'. This was later confirmed that the advert was not posted for World of Warcraft expansion pack. Which as you can imagine added wind to the flames. but it had promised to be something fresh and new for Blizzard devotee's to dig into.

2010 Gave us more information on what had seemed a forgotten rumor at the time, when in that November blizzard gave us the low down that the project, now named 'Titan', was going to be a release ready for the fourth quarter of 2013. Frank Pearce (co-founder)said Titan was 'our next-gen MMO, and we've only started talking about it in a limited fashion because we want to leverage the fact that we're working on something like that for the purpose of recruiting--getting some of the best talent in the industry on that'

The excitement increases.

Then 2011, Blizzard reveals that they were using lessons learned from years of World of Warcraft, and pulling some of the most experienced MMORPG developers working on the project. Significance was put on Titan being a game which was to be played with people they know as appose to strangers. towards the end of the year it was said there was 90 developers working on the project, it nearly being ready to enter full production mode.

There's one detail that has not been confirmed by Blizzard but strongly rumored. Titan is supposed to be a free game with no subscription required, something new and fresh from Blizzard.

To read up slightly more on a few details I may have skipped check out http://geek.pikimal.com/2012/02/23/blizzards-project-titan-possibly-free-to-play-according-to-rumor

Mists of Pandaria Beta now live!

Well, it would seem that my fellow bloggers are still missing - I reckon the aliens are planting strange chips in their necks for when they are returned to me. I was going to do a Skyrim update today, but then I realized that the Mists of Pandaria update goes live today, and whilst it may not be the best looking expansion in the world, all you Warcrafters had better try it out.

If, like me, you're a World of Warcraft Annual Pass holder you will definitely be given a place as a beta tester before they start letting everyone else in. They're doing it in waves and I'm still waiting for my email. I knew the Annual Pass would have its perks [insert evil laughter].

If you don't have the Annual Pass then there is no need to be disappointed or feel like you're going to miss out - because you're not. If you don't want to commit to a one year contract to become an Annual Pass holder then all you have to do is 'opt-in' to the beta. Clink this link and it will take you to the page that links you to your battle.net account. You know, if you do sign up for the Annual Pass you get Diablo III for free...free...free...

As soon as I get my confirmation email I'll be straight on here telling you all about what's happening in the latest WoW expansion pack. As any screens and information form this beta are allowed to be published I have every reason to show you guys just what this expansion is going to be like, and with rumours of the Cloud Dragon mount who wouldn't be excited?

Guild Wars 2

Hey guys, it has been forever since I last posted. I missed it, what with the insane amount of exams *cough-retakes-cough* I had to do and the sudden absence of teachers and....I’m making excuses. Allow me to get down on my knees and grovel my way back into your forgiving hearts.

So, tonight’s post. You’re probably thinking ‘dude shut up and tell me something interesting.’

I’ve been busy being a studious, good teenager and it is boring, and means I’m somewhat behind on my gaming. I began a post about my poor attempts at Halo and decided that it wasn’t what you wanted to hear from my first post after such a long time.

Looking back through our posts I laughed at some of the things we’d done, some I miss and some I still don’t understand what we were thinking. But hey it’s a new year...for me. So new ideas, new games and many more posts.

Has anyone ever played Guild Wars?

Well, tonight is all about Guild Wars 2, wait until you see it. Not only does this MMO RPG have a new storyline but its producers claim that it is responsive to player actions. How many MMO’s can claim that?

The new game has technology based on physics. Yes I mean Havoc, the new state of the art physical simulation technology. All the best new games have it these days; Halo III, Assassins Creed: Revelations... (You know I just noticed that we have never done a post on Darksiders or Halo or Gears of War or Saints Row...forgive us) The game also has 3D environments and a little extra enhancement of animation.

There are 5 races and 8 professions to choose from.

RACES

Human

Charr

Asura

Norn

Sylvari

PROFESSIONS

Scholars have light armour

Elementalist – May switch between attunements: Earth, Air, Fire or Water where other professions allow switches between weapons. Earth focuses on defense, Air is for focusing on target damage, Fire focuses on area damage and Water is for healing or movement restrictions like snares.

Necromancer – We all know what Necromancers do but for those who don’t, Necromancers have power over the dead. They can summon minions, namely the dead, to fight for them or generally do their bidding. They have a ‘Life Force’ which builds up as people die around them which can be used instead of hit points.)

Mesmer – Basically an illusionist (A rose by another name....). Mesmers can create illusions of doppelgangers which can be used in many ways including sacrifice for effects.

Adventurers have medium strength armour

Ranger – May use ranged and melee weapons, traps and spirits. They are focused on quick movement and defence. Can have an animal companion equipped with special skills depending on the animal.

Thief – May use ranged and melee weapons and are able to use pistols. In combat uses stealth, shadowstepping and traps. Can steal other people weapons and instead of a cooldown period Thiefs can use some of their initiative.

Engineer – Can use pistols and rifles and a number of gadgets for offence, control and healing even grenades and flamethrowers.

Soldiers have strong armour.

Warrior – Can use a mixture of ranged and melee weaponry which range in uses. They can assist allies and have a special ability which allows them to increase damage to foes when the bar is full.

Guardian – Use Courage, Justice and Resolve to assist allies in attack. Can create wards and summon enchanted weapons.

Players must be able to use strategy as they are able to choose 10 of a number of abilities from a skill pool. A step on from the first Guild Wars has the 10 slots with predefined functions such as healing, a mixture of profession and weapon, undefined and elite. Guild Wars 2 focuses on quality over quantity of skills so instead of being Jack of all trades you get to be a master of few.

Guild Wars 2 is set 250 years after the first game and whilst characters are not transferable, achievements and honours will be recorded in the Hall of Monuments, which also appears in Guild Wars: Eye of the North, monuments allow the players access to exclusive titles, items, and animal companions.

A Bit of Plot

The game is set in Tyria. 5 elder dragons have awoken since Guild Wars, spreading destruction and corrupting citiszens. Humans have been at war with the Charr and are weakening as a result. The Charr have finally won back the remains of their homeland, Ascalon, from the humans. The Nords are being forced to migrate south by the rise of the Jormag. Asura, a technologically advanced race have had no choice but to build permanent homes above ground for the dragons to awaken. Sylvari, a 25 year young race, have settled in Tyria near the Asura, they have an unexplained connection to the elder dragons.

 Cantha have been isolated by a xenophobic climate reinforced by the undead navy of Zhaitan, an elder dragon, whose reawakening caused The Battle Islands to cease to exist because of the tidal wave from the emerging of the old Kingdom of Orr. Elona are another continent has been cut off. Another battle goes on between Palawa Joko's Mordant Crescent and Kralkatorrik in the Crystal Desert, as well as occasional reports from Order of Whispers spies

Basically the whole world is in turmoil and everyone is at war or dead.

Your character must reunite the Destiny’s Edge guild whose eventual reassembly mimic the world as a whole as it unifies to create an army strong enough to defeat Zhaitan.

Sounds pretty epic doesn’t it? Considering it is a MMO I think it has an impressive storyline and could prove to be a thrilling adventure.

It's a mobile world

I like iPhone games very much. When my laptop is out of reach and handheld consoles are too much effort, my phone is my best source of gaming entertainment. You can play games that range from old school Frogger to MMORPG's that are known as a 'Pocket World of Warcraft'. To be honest, there's an iPhone game for everyone, you just have to find it.

This evening, I'm going to take you some of my favourite games, both free and paid. The world of mobile games is vast, and this is just the beginning.

Doodlejump

One of the most popular and classic iPhone games to be found in the App store. It's highly addictive and a whole load of fun. At £0.69 it's well worth the pennies. I hear you asking me how the whole thing works. Allow me to explain, it's really quite simple.

You are Doodle, a little creature with springy legs and a trumpet-like nose. The aim? To get as high as you can without falling. Jump from ledge to ledge without missing to earn the highest score (people have reached at least a million, so you have quite a challenge) and keep Doodle alive. Sounds easy, right? well, they added obstacles so you would find it less than that. Some of the ledges will crumble when you land on them so that you fall through either to a slightly lower ledge or to your death. Not only that but there are monsters wandering around and if you hit them then you can kiss your life goodbye. Some ledges explode, move or turn invisible. Others are jagged at the bottom so that you die if you hit them.

Doodlejump has things to help you too. Sometimes there are springs or trampolines to propel you upwards, other times there may be jet packs, springy boots, flying caps or even rocket ships lying about for you. When you tap the screen, bullets shoot from your nose that will hit and kill any monsters above you, because of course you can't just stop bouncing mid-game.

Not only this, but there are different themes for you to play on. It ranges from traditional to Christmas, with special themes released on holidays such as Christmas and Easter. Last year, you could play as Doodle dressed in a bunny outfit, and it was quite adorable (if I say so myself).

Doodlejump is one of my favourite and first iPhone games, and is one that I will always enjoy. It's a game of risk where you could lose at any moment, requiring a certain level of concentration.

Angry Birds

Another paid for game, but well worth the price. At £0.69, I can assure you that it's a steal. Whilst you can buy it on iPhone, it's also available on PC, so I would suggest checking out your local games store and picking up a copy for leisurely use or hard core addiction.

How do you play? Ah, a question often asked and easily solved. All you have to do is use a single finger. You see, these evil green pigs have taken the bird's eggs and plan on cooking them up for dinner. Outraged, the birds hunt down the pigs, attacking and killing them until they get their eggs back. However, these pigs are clever and not a force to be reckoned with. They build intricate structures which you, the Angry Bird controller, must knock down in order to advance. The birds are loaded onto a catapult and by pulling your finger back you can aim and release the bird, unleashing its full power onto the unfortunate pigs (I say unfortunate, they deserved it). There are loads of different levels to unlock and even more to purchase separately, so it's hard to get bored of the game.

There are loads of different birds you can use to knock down the structures. A list of some of the birds can be found below:

Red: no power
Yellow: super speed+strength
Blue: splits into three birds
Black: bomb bird
White: drops bomb egg
Toucan: boomerang bird
Orange: exploding bird
Big Red: boulder smash bird

Different levels will unlock different birds, and each bird is more powerful than the last - especially the Big Red Bird. That big, inflated bird is good for killing the pigs that are wearing helmets (they're harder to kill).

So get on your phone, download this app and get killing those pigs! After all, they deserve the most painful, evil punishment.

Pocket Legends

This is my favourite free game. Now, I could have done two free games, but this one is too awesome to be shadowed by another. Pocket Legends is literally World of Warcraft for the iPhone. I kid you not.

There are three classes to choose from which are:

Warrior (race = bear)
Mage (race = human)
Archer (race = bird)

Once you've chosen your class and customised your character a little (including a name) you are released into the world. I was expecting a basic, single player game, but no - it's an MMORPG. I was amazed and excited. I was so pleased to find such an easily accessible MMORPG that I could have wept with joy. I didn't, because I'm strong and manly. I found it a little difficult at first, but after experimenting I found my way around the controls.

I didn't interact with other players straight away, I was far too engrossed in all the questing that was available to me. I worked hard and fast to raise my level and get better armour. The best thing was that quests occur in dungeons which are run with other players, and so it is rare that you were ever alone. This decreases the number of times you are killed and makes progression far more efficient.

Once my level was up to about 25, I joined my first guild and started chatting with them, something I really like doing. I have to say that they are incredibly efficient when it comes to dungeon runs and boosting lower players levels. I often seem to join good guilds on these games, and I am proud to me a member of this group.  It's an incredibly social game with light hearted players and an incredibly reliable server.

Combat is simple - you press a button. Above the button on your screen there is a spell list, and all you have to do is tap the spell to activate it, allowing for a quick and simple combat mode. It works well because it's not fiddly or irritating and so you can move faster through the dungeons when completing quests.

All in all, I seriously enjoy this game and would highly recommend you guys give this one a shot. If you ever decide to play, or already have a character then add me, my name is Anstar. Go forth and explore the world of Pocket Legends!

Valhalla

Not so long ago, on a laptop not too far away...

...Was a Gamer by the name of Valhalla who was interested in a new MMORPG. Whilst stacking shelves at work, he came across a case that interested him, one by the name of Star Wars: The Old Republic. Excited, he asked his colleagues about it until one, by the name of Dave, was able to tell him more. This is where the adventure begins, the adventure through the galaxies...

It was on December 20th that Dave and I planned to buy SWTOR and play it together that night. However, tragedy decided to take a lead role and destroy my plans - my card went missing. Without my debit card I could do nothing. Distraught, I was unable to buy the game and play the glorious thing that is SWTOR. Depressed, I spent the evening imagining what I could be missing, and the day after I was able to venture into work and pick up what was rightfully mine. Finally, I had what I wanted most.

I spent the whole night exploring the game, getting the feel for my character and messing around, generally killing some bad guys. I have to say, I was pretty damn impressed by the graphics and character customisation. When I started the game my jaw literally hit the floor when the cinematic started. I mean, seriously, it was just fantastic. I was overcome with joy that my hard-earned money had not been wasted. It took me a moment to recover from the sheer fantastical-ness that was the opening, but when I was over it I was right on my character. I decided to be a good-guy Smuggler (and plan to turn to the Dark Side), and went with the best 'race' - Cyborg. Yeah, I look freaking awesome and there is nothing you can say to disprove that. Nothing. The character editing was top notch, almost on par with Skyrim. I could edit face shape, tone, detail, scarring, hair style, markings, Cyborg parts...it is just so vast. It took me quite some time to decide on the perfect character, but I think Mikal turned out just right (as I've already pointed out). Take a look.

"I'll be back"

After an awesome classic Star Wars intro (music and slanted writing included) I was thrown into a new world filled with top graphics. In fact, it was only today that I turned the graphics up to high. Mind blown, once again. I did a few starter quests, getting used to my new UI (which is very similar to WoW), getting a feel for the way gameplay worked and what not. It was kinda irritating that my ship was nicked at the very beginning of the game. I mean honestly, that's MY ship. I even named it. So, once I stopped chuckling at the way my little Cyborg moved I got more serious and started getting my head into the game. It was surprisingly easy to do. The thing is, when you enter cinematic mode (which is pretty much every time you talk to a quest giver or receiver) you are able to choose how your character responds to the NPC. They can be rude, polite, flirtatious, indifferent, you name it and your character can probably turn down that path.

Dark Side points (or Light Side if you're going that way) are there to demonstrate how far you're going towards one side of the force. In my case it's Dark side because I'm actually kinda evil. To protect a woman I didn't really like I slaughtered a load of men that were supposed to be my allies. Why? well, because I could. That act earned me 50 Dark Side points and I was only level 3. Talk about rebellious, soon I'll be going against my whole faction.

The only downside is the respawn. If you want to be revived where you died you may have to wait for over ten minutes, depending on how many times you've been revived beforehand. either way, it's a pain in the backside, especially when your respawn point is quite far away.

I'm still exploring the game really, getting to grips with the whole thing, but I'm determined to find my starship and save it from the bastard that stole her. I really loved that ship. So far, I'm really enjoying SWTOR, and it's going to be a struggle to pay for both this and WoW, but I tell you it will be worth it. I assure you.

Keep watching for more SWTOR updates, for as I get further through the game, the more adventure updates you'll be getting from me.

Happy New Year!

- Valhalla

Fa-la-la-la-la la-ogri-la

Deck the halls with ugly Orc heads, Fa-la-la-la-la la-ogri-la! Yes, it's that time again - Winter Veil has arrived in Azeroth once again and Great Father Winter has appeared in Ironforge and Orgrimmar (/cheers) ready to give out gifts and quests. Are you ready to complete all the achievements of Winter Veil in order to gain the title of Merrymaker? I am, I really am.

It's my second Christmas in Azeroth, last Christmas I wasn't really bothered by achievements and the like, but this year I am READY to kick some backside and earn my new title. I think it's fitting. Today, Azeroth was covered in Winter Veil trees, decorated with love, people dressed in red and green outfits an s the delicious smell that is gingerbread cookies and eggnog. Yes, Winter Veil is a time for all Azerothians to come together and share the peaceful, joyous occasion that is Winter Veil.



When I logged on today I was eager to meet Great Father Winter yet again and accept quest from him. Of course, coming home late from work I could only get on at 23:00, and so didn't get much time to play. Regardless, I carried on, flying off to Ironforge in search of the jolly old man.It was a quick trip on the Deeprun tram, a Gnome decided to jump on the same carriage as me (must to my distaste) and although I was irritated I waved to him in greeting. He didn't wave back.. Once the tram stopped at the entrance to Ironforge, I was quick to get off and through the portal before mounting my flying horse and speeding off to the tree that stood behind Great Father Winter outside the Ironforge bank.

The first quest that the bringer of winter Veil asked me to complete was one that required me bringing him five gingerbread cookies and a glass of ice cold milk (I could totally go for some milk right now). Rather than spend time cooking them myself, I bought them fresh from the auction house for an unholy amount of gold. Seriously, it was a lot. I brought the necessary food-stuffs to Great Father Winter and he devoured them happily. As a reward I was given a present that contained...thread. Great present, really. My spirits were later lifted by a parcel from Great Father Winter in my inbox that contained some cheese, candy canes and other tasty treats. That made it all better.

I planned on completing three achievements today - 'Scrooge', 'With a little Helper from my friends' and 'Tis the season'. Much easier than it sounds, I tell you. I was going to get all three done...I managed a grand total of one. Record numbers, I know. I'm blaming it on sleepiness and lack of concentration. That's exactly the reason, nothing else.

Dalaran toy shop

'Scrooge' was easy peasy, no problem. All I had to do was hurl a snowball at Muradin Bronzebeard and BAM, achievement. Whilst many would have quaked with fear at the thought of pelting him with snow, I relished in it. striding up to this throne I stood right in front of his face and just slammed it into him, laughing all the way. It was a nice, easy achievement that required little effort and the humiliation of an NPC. Poor guy.

I've always liked reading lore in Azeroth

The next one was quite a bit harder. 'With a little Helper from my friends' requires me to transform into a Gnome (outside Ironforge) and then gaining 50 honourable kills. I managed eight today. eight in lord knows how many Battlegrounds. I humiliated myself in that hideous Gnome costume for nothing. However, next time will be better. Next time I will be prepared and ready to take the enemy DOWN. I think I could, depending on the BG....

Feel da power

'Tis the Season' should have been the easiest of them all. I had two pieces of Winter clothing from last year, but I was missing the hat. Much to my irritation, this quest required me wearing three pieces of Winter clothing whilst I ate the mince meat pie-cake. Even the auction house had no hats for me. Hanging my head low, I sulked for a little while, knowing that the only one who could help me was my Guild Master, and he was offline. I even wished him goodnight. I was kinda bummed about that fact, I really wanted to complete it tonight. The quests were still fun to do though, I really enjoy getting achievements when I can, and as a level 85 the only things to do are get kick ass armour and gain all the achievements possible.

I really like Christmas, here on Earth. For once, everyone seems happy and is able to get along - fighting appears reduced. Whether it is or not, I don't know, but I'd like to think that way. Food, family and the odd gift, that's what Christmas is all about, mainly the first two of course. In Azeroth, Winter Veil seems to have the same effect. Players seem less snappy and harsh with each other, and seem to get along with each other a lot better than usual. A short poem comes to mind when I think of this. "Christmas comes but once a year, and when it come it brings good cheer." I have to say that this is a very true point.

Join us again on Saturday fir an incredibly exciting post...you'll have to wait and see what it's about. We'll be doing more on Christmas in MMO/MMORPG's, so keep your eyes peeled and don't be afraid to check back.

Merry Christmas!

WoW Adverts

You know what, I posted this on Saturday. However, I went to check everything out today and what did I find? This was a draft. I was pretty irritated. So, I figured I should hit the publish button after writing this little note explaining why this post is so darn late.

Valhalla

Hey there, everyone. A little post today - something light and refreshing for you all. The new Chuck Norris World of Warcraft advert was released not long ago, and so I thought it might be fun to stick up a load of WoW ads that contain famous people such as Ozzy Osbourne and Mr. T. Sit back, relax and enjoy these thirty second ads. Happy viewing, guys!

It was the best glitch in the world...

Here's another of Valhalla's WoW updates. I know, I haven't done one in a while, but to be honest nothing much has happened recently. My internet connection is so poor that I can't even do Heroic dungeons or raids. Yes, it really does suck. So, I do what I can with what I have and I make do with what's available to me. I'm not a huge fan of PvP, I much prefer the whole PvE thing, but as I can't do anything other than Battlegrounds, I have little choice by to start up PvP. As a result, I've been working hard to build a season 10 armour set so that I can at least do a decent job when it comes to kicking Horde ass (you heard me, I'm Alliance. Come at me, Hordie). All I've really been up to is the usually trotting along the snowy roads of Azeroth. I figured you guys might like to know what I've been doing in Azeroth, so here it goes. 

I've only been able to play properly today and yesterday, every other time I've only been able to log on for a half hour or so before more homework has to be done or some such abomination. Wednesday and Thursday night, however, was reserved for some hardcore Warcrafting. With Patch 4.3 downloading, I grabbed myself a mug of warm milk (yeah, totally manly) and sat myself down, knowing that I wouldn't be moving for quite some time. This, is Wednesday night with Findor.

I logged on, excited about chatting with my guild again. Well, I say chatting, but they don't really talk to me much, I guess it's because I'm new to the guild, they don't really seem to care. My old guild was much better for chatting (but they didn't like me much), but you have to make do with what you have. I said a merry good evening to my guild and received some grumbled "hi"'s in response. They went back to nattering about other things pretty fast. I decided that tonight was a night for gear gathering, and although I knew that I'd probably only get one piece that evening, I was determined. After all, the fact that I can't do Heroics and such means that my Item Level is a mere 341, which is pretty poor for a level 85. As a result, I started queueing up for random BG's, ready to slaughter some enemy players. I worked long and hard, but I was finally able to afford the best helmet I've ever had. Just look at it - the definition of awesome. 

Anyway, I just wanted to show off my new helmet as I'm rather proud of it. Now to get to what this post is all about - the best glitch in the world. 

Yesterday, I went to the Ruins of Gilneas. As a regular victim of lag, I was bound to experience difficulties at some point in the evening. As my friend and I were flying to Gilneas I was suddenly hit by a massive wave of lag that lasted several minutes. After a little while I was sure that the lag was gone and things were back to normal - after all I could message other players and the like - so I continued on my way. When I reached Gilneas I dismounted so that I could enjoy the city and explore the ruins further - it's like the ancient history of Azeroth. It was then that something strange began to happen. Aspect of the Cheetah wasn't activated, yet I was running incredibly fast and my arms were bent in an odd manner. I found it amusing and ignored what was happening. It was only when my character jumped that I realized something was up. I hit the spacebar and all of a sudden I began to fly. I was flying without a mount. I mean, my mount was activated by it wasn't visible. It felt amazing, swimming through the sky, floating around the abandoned buildings. It certainly was the best glitch in the world and my favourite. 

After a while, I got bored and decided to log out. When I logged back in I was all the way back at Ironforge. Turns out that the game hadn't even registered my arrival at Gilneas. No matter, it was such an awesome thing to happen that I felt I should share it with you guys. Here are some pictures of me flying through the skies of Gilneas. 

As a side note, I plan on creating a beginners guide to WoW on the blog, something brief yet helpful to new players. Also, look out for the Gamers Dictionary which is currently under development and will always be added to. Hope you guys enjoyed the mini update, our next post is on Saturday so stay tuned! 

Your Dungeon My Dragon

Your Dungeon My Dragon by Adam de la Pena

Hi guys, this isn’t a game but technically we do all things geeky and if this isn’t geeky then nothing is.

This is an online animated series about 2 Guilds, one good and one evil, who are constantly at war with each other. It’s funny, geeky, and it has a trouser-less Dwarf in the first episode (All very good reasons to watch it.). So far only the first episode is available to us but there are interactive games for you to enjoy in the mean time (if you have Windows Internet Explorer 9).

I think I will provide you with a character list

First and favourite of mine:

Kill the Brobarian. Kill is part bro(lover of partying, girls and things that make him Hench) and part Barbarian(we all know what a Barbarian is but for those who don’t, they like swords, storming castles and wearing very little, he keeps his sword in his loin cloth). He lives by the Philosophy ‘Strong and Wrong’ which I think tells you all you need to know about him.

Next is Hork. Hork is the trouser-less Dwarf I was telling you about, he spends a lot of time looking for them. He is a professional wanderer (or as we would call him today, hobo). He isn’t terribly bright but he can change in to various animals for short periods of time.

Amy the Enchantress is the most powerful member. Most dudes are scared of her, which is just how she likes it. She has a bit of a thing for Kill despite their constant bickering.

Haro is an Archer Elf with an Afro. He fights with a Golden Bow but he is also a bit of a ladies’ man. He is the brains of the operation and the one who keeps them all alive.

Devious Most Evilest (My favourite villain). Devious is half Dracula and half Warlock, how is that possible you ask? Well his father is Count Dracula and is mother is supposedly of one of the very rare female warlocks. He supplies his Coven of Evil with Mission Statements and such that help him keep control. But don’t all villains secretly have a dream? Devious does. He wants to start a Hip-hop/rock fusion band. Really he just wants to have fun.

This is ‘I’m just a Skeleton’. Skeleton wants to raise his status but is often getting into trouble. He has nothing especially interesting about him, other than being able to drive a car.

Krog is made of Brimstone and bad ideas. He does what he is told as he is the muscle of the group. He wants a girlfriend (Amy if possible) but he isn’t very good with the ladies (and Amy never returns his calls).

There is also Zonkie. Can you guess what he is? Yes, a Zombie/Donkey.

Here is the link because I know how much you guys want it.

http://ydmd.msn.com/BehindTheScenes/1

I wish I could give you more information but sadly none is availiable at the moment.

Come, young Barbarian

Yesterday, I embarked on an epic adventure. I began my journey following the footsteps of the great Barbarian himself. Being a fan of the stories, the Marvel comic book series and the old films with Arnold Schwarzenegger (the best Conan, in my opinion) I was eager to start on my long and blood-filled path.

It took two days to download due to my terrible internet speed (people, as most of you may know, AOL sucks), which was painful to say the least. In that time I was unable to play any other MMORPG’s and so my time was dedicated to either watching the download bar or reading beside it. Yes, I’m that sad people. Anyhow, it downloaded eventually.

Creating my first character

I was not willing to pay around £10 a month for this when something like WoW is only £8.99 a month and so opted for the free-to-play. Yeah, what a wide variety of choice I received. I was allowed to be one of two classes out of the 12 that were available to me as I was playing for free. These classes were Guardian and Barbarian. They were pretty much the same in terms of battle type except that the Guardian was able to wear plat and the Barbarian cloth. Having not played a character that wears plate in some time I chose a Guardian and went on to design my character’s look and choose his race.

Something went wrong here...

I was able to choose from three races and opted for the strong and mighty Cimmerian. After that, I was able to go into more intricate design, selecting muscle size, width, height, eye colour, hair style and colour etc. It was really rather elaborate. I was even able to select different body markings and war paint for my new Guardian. I made my character as tall as he could be, with maximum muscle and markings that mean he’s a strong leader. He looks pretty awesome, actually. I then named him Trankin.

Entering the world

When I made my character I was on a ship, rowing with a bunch of other slaves (for I was one as well). Then, my ship was destroyed and I was thrown overboard and into the sea, becoming bound to that location (I assume it’s kind of like your ‘home’ location) as I sank towards the bottom of the sea. Next thing I knew I was awake on a sandy beach and a strange man came and talked to me, telling me that I had to go to the city. I missed most of what happened in that scene as I was distracted by my dog. Despite missing the cinematic scene I was able to figure out how everything worked and set about killing some Picts using the keys 1, 2 and 3 to attack (took me ages to make attacking work). It was relatively easy to kill the tribesmen and I was relatively pleased with my progress. Looking at my minimap I was able to see that the red arrow was leading me to my destination.

It was as I was making my way through the jungle behind the beach that I came across a woman who had been tied to wooden poles. I initiated conversation. The thing I LOVE about this game is that you have a selection of responses to the people that you meet in your adventures. I could be rude or polite to the woman, but as I assumed that I would need her I was kind and caring towards her. She asked me to help her by killing one of the Pict leaders and looting the key that would free her from her chains. I did as she asked, being a compassionate Guardian. It was pretty easy, and I returned to her with hardly a scratch. After releasing her she accompanied me to the city, screaming and cheering every time we encountered an enemy – something I found amusing. We travelled through the jungle, slaying Picts, looting their corpses and exploring our surroundings. It was then that we reached my old slave master, a vile, fat thug. Yeah, I took him down warrior style and left him to die in his own filth. That man disgusts me. Anyway, the gate that led to the city had been right behind him, but it turned out that to get through it I had to slay a demon that was guarding the key. So, with my wench following behind me I slaughtered some more Picts and annihilated the demon that stood in my path with great skill, even my little wench agreed. Once the key was in my hand we made our way back to the gate where we unlocked and opened it.

Fat Oaf...

Beyond the gate were hordes of Gorillas which I fought my way through with my little wench trotting behind, cheering at my epicness. Once we were through that part of the jungle we reached the outskirts of the city and travelled through another, unlocked, gate after which she left me and returned to the city. I was all alone (at this point you should feel sympathy towards me). I followed the path towards the city until I came to the tall stone walls that showed I was there. Outside, was a guard and I was quick to ask him for access to the city. Noticing I was a slave, he refused me access but informed me of a blacksmith I could visit to cut off my chains. I was quick to find him.

Random inserts of me slaying stuff in a kick ass way

The blacksmith asked me to collect some stone blocks for him before he removed my chains and I did as I was asked. He rewarded me with the removal of my bonds and after thanking him went on my way and returned to the guard who let me in pretending not to know me. Before I entered he asked me to deliver a letter to a woman in the Thirsty Dog, which I did. I delivered the letter, chatted to some women and then realized that I was supposed to seek a woman named Nadini. I asked where she was, and was told to travel there at night so that the evil city guards did not spot me. I was careful to do as I was told and waited until nightfall. Nadini was easy enough to find, and she informed me that I should seek training from the keeper at the Thirsty Dog. Thanking her, I returned to the inn and talked to the keeper who told me that he would train me as a warrior once more (apparently I was a warrior who lost my memory. Should not have missed the intro). However, I had to do a quest as payment and so my journey continued as I followed in the footsteps of the great Barbarian himself...

This game is pretty cool. Graphics are a little under average and the fact that free-to-play is so limited really sucks and takes away from the gameplay. It’s too expensive in my opinion, and I’m not willing to pay more than WoW for the game. However, the ability to choose your characters reactions is a brilliant feature and one that I quite enjoy. It’s a game that I will continue playing and update you guys on.

Overall rating from me, Valhalla – 6/10 for the cost and poor graphics.

Sadly Titus was sick tonight and unable to help with the post. Poor Titus. L